About Me
"You don't make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved..." - Ansel Adams
Born and raised in Los Angeles, FloresGant finds her hometown a great source of inspiration. From its diverse landscapes to its cultural stereotypes, the city always plays a meaningful role.
The themes of her work deal with the female psyche, love, spirituality, pop culture, and mysticism. Although she does incorporate humor in her work, it is always balanced with deep emotion and underlying melancholy.
Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Flores Gant. So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Apparently, when I was 4 years old, I told my dad (who was an avid amateur photographer) that one day I was going to have a camera of my own. Well, I made good on that promise. Started shooting at 15 and by 19 knew this was what I wanted to do for the rest of life. In college, I took every art class I could from painting to design, and it truly formed and defined my style and aesthetic.
Has it been a smooth road?
Any profession in the arts is not an easy one. It takes a lot of work, a lot of time, and an unrelenting drive to succeed. I’m passionate about what I do, so a good amount of the time, it doesn’t really feel like work. Hustling for work is my least favorite part of the job. When I can just focus on the work, I’m in my happy place.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I’m a one-woman show: photographer, editor, and (sometimes) retoucher. I’m known for my conceptual work and portraiture, although my recent foray into Special Events has opened up a really unique avenue for me. Event photography is no longer just the documentation of “who was where”. Capturing the mood of an event, the experience of the party-goers, what it felt like to “just be there”… is very exciting to me. It’s intimate. It’s telling a story. It’s capturing moments that will never be that exact way again, and I think my greatest strength as a photographer is seeing beauty in that so easily. What I am most proud of as a photographer/artist, is having my work shown at the Louvre in Paris, France.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
As a native Los Angeleno, I think LA is an amazing city. Photography is mobile, fleeting, and subjective. Capturing one’s unique perspective in a photographic image is not limited to a certain city or population size.